Hufflepuff only gets six new students, but they're all loud enough that it seems like more.

Franziska had opted to situate herself at the end of the table so she could meet the newly sorted first years, and most of her yearmates had joined her, leading to quite an active dinner. The one unfortunate in the otherwise enjoyable meal was that one of the new students was none other than Saundra Caldwell, the hyper and irritating chatterbox from the Ministry and Diagon Alley.

And Saundra was just as endlessly frustrating as she had been when they'd first met. Franziska is always happy to give the benefit of the doubt, but even her yearmates concede later that Saundra is just a little off-putting.

"Overall though the first years seem really fun! I can't wait until this weekend, I bet they'll be good sports about the initiation." Leona Poole grins widely. All ten of the second year Hufflepuffs have crowded into the boys' dorm, sitting two to a bed.

The group would usually spend their time in the common room, but the prefects had told them they had to be out of sight when their head of house Professor Sprout checked in at ten o'clock. And as the boys were magically barred from entering the girls' room they'd ended up bunking with the guys.

Kiera grins. "I can't wait to see what the seventh years have cooked up. Last year's puffapod fight is gonna be a hard act to follow."

"I'm sure they'll have something memorable. They've had several years to think about it after all." Donaghan Tremlett points out mildly. He's sitting beside his best friend, John "Cian" Donne, who is attempting to ignore the conversation as best he can.

"Whatever it is, we'll have to get through the first week first." Henry Davies sighs. "I hope our schedules aren't too hectic."

Aidan Ward shakes his head, red locks flopping into his face. His hair had grown out somewhat from the bowl cut he'd had the previous year, and Franziska admittedly almost hadn't recognized him. "We don't have any new classes, right? Plus no flying this year, so we should actually have even more free time." He makes a face. "I just hope we get to sleep in after our astronomy classes."

Franziska nods in agreement, along with everyone else in the dorms.

"I'm sure they will - they did last year." Jemma points out with a small smile. "It wouldn't be very good if we didn't get enough sleep, especially during exam periods."

"What about next year though? They can't possibly account for all the electives." Tyler Abbott frowns.

Franziska gives the whole group a bright smile. "Well that can be worried about next year, right? We've only just started second year, and I haven't seen you guys in months! Tell me what you've been up to!"

That does the trick, and the atmosphere immediately lightens up as everyone begins talking over each other, explaining everything they'd gotten up to during the summer.

Surprisingly it's the normally soft-spoken Donaghan who's voice rises over the others. "Cian wrote a song over break!" He nudges his friend. "It's really good, you should play it for everyone."

Cian immediately shakes his head, but the whole group is looking at him now.

"Oh would you? I love music." Jemma smiles hopefully at the curly haired boy, who firmly shakes his head again.

However, the Hufflepuff class is nothing if not persistent, and Franziska laughs as they finally pester Cian into pulling out his guitar and strumming through a few bars. The song is actually quite good, and Cian looks surprised when the room bursts into applause at the end of his short demonstration.

"That was awesome! You should talk to Professor Flitwick after charms sometime about taking one of the Music extra-curriculars next year!" Tyler says excitedly. "Lola says the school choir has been awful the past couple of years, I bet you could get them back into shape!"

Cian looks surprised. "There's a music program here?" He sounds almost hesitant, and Franziska realizes that it's the longest sentence she's heard Cian speak since she's met him.

Tyler nods. "Obviously! Music is awesome - it even has magical properties that you can harness if you know about them. Maisie's ex used to talk about it all the time - he's graduated now but he was in the choir last year."

Tonks frowns. "Wait, ex? Did she and Harrison break up?"

The two begin conducting their own conversation on the romantic goings-on of their families, friends, and eventually the entirety of the student body. Leona, Kiera, and Henry all get involved as well, but Franziska opts to continue talking with the other half of the room.

"There are tons of different extra-curricular options Cian, didn't you know?" Aidan grins excitedly. "There's a Magical Theory course open to all years - I go every week if I can. It's really quite fascinating, the technical knowledge behind how magic actually works." He laughs. "And really helpful in the exams! Knowing why something works makes it easier to do, you know?"

Donaghan shakes his head in awe. "How do you find all these classes Aidan? I feel like I can barely keep up with seven honestly."

Aidan grins. "It's just a matter of talking to people! I'm hoping to take Ancient Studies at some point too, though it's only open to fifth year and above, which kind of . Though at the same time, I guess we'll probably have fewer classes if we don't want to take the NEWT levels."

"I know I'm not taking potions. As soon as I can get out of Snape's classroom the better." Kiera butts in, apparently having grown tired of the gossip session the others were having. "I don't care if I'm able to take the class, nothing can make me go down into the dungeons after fifth year." She pauses for a moment, contemplative, before adding an exception. "Except maybe murder ghosts."

Donaghan laughs "What the heck is a murder ghost?"

"The ghost of a murder victim seeking revenge, obviously." Kiera grins cheerfully.

Franziska can only laugh. "Obviously."

They stay up chatting in the boys' room until Hunter Vaughan, Franziska's least favorite of the prefects, comes down and sends the girls back to their own dorm.

"That was fun! The boys' room is way cozier and more private than the common room, we ought to spend more time there." Jemma notes as the five girls head down the tunnel leading to the women's side of the Hufflepuff burrow, as it's affectionately called by its residents.

Leona makes a face. "No way, I like the common room! You can overhear a lot of great stuff in there."

Tonks laughs loudly, though Franziska is quick to nudge her. It is past curfew after all - they should be quiet in the halls.

"Only you would worry about something like that Leona." The metamorphagus grins, obligingly lowering her voice. "I swear, no one can have secrets with you around."

Leona beams proudly.

Once back in their own room, no one feels like going to sleep so they quickly change into their nightclothes and sit in a circle on Tonks' and Kiera's beds, which they push together with little trouble.

"Do you think we'll have classes with the same people this year?" Jemma pipes up once they've all settled down. "I mean, like, will we still have History of Magic with the Gryffindors? I had a lot of fun passing notes with Drake and Evera last year during that class."

Franziska blinks. "That's a good point. I actually have no idea, but I mean, it would make sense to keep the same groups, right?"

Tonks nods. "For sure. Although, I will say I wouldn't mind having Defense Against the Dark Arts with a different House than Slytherin." She adds after a moment. The other girls nod, some more uncertainly than others.

For her part Franziska doesn't quite get the distrust everyone seems to have for the Slytherin house. Sure some of the older Slytherins are definitely mean - even Hunter is bearable by comparison - but the ones in their year for the most part seem nice enough, if standoffish. Nonetheless she nods as well, not wanting to rock what is clearly a well-established boat.

"That said," Tonks once again amends her statement, "I do like that we get Slytherin in potions. I'm pretty sure Snape is a much nicer grader to his house and we end up getting some of the benefits from that."

That breaks the tension and the girls begin happily chatting about the professors and who they're excited to see again. Naturally the topic of the new Defense professor comes up.

"I saw him at the Feast, did you? Tiny old guy at the end of the table. At least, I assume that must be him - I recognized everyone else." Leona declares. "Unfortunately I don't have any other information."

"Inconceivable!" Tonks teases. "Leona Poole not knowing something?"

Leona shoves her playfully as the other girls laugh.

"Really though," Franziska pipes up thoughtfully. "It is strange how Professor Whits knew she'd be leaving but didn't tell us, or prepare us for the new teacher. I do hope he knows what we learned last year. It would be awful to have to study the same things all over again because of differing curriculum."

Leona looks genuinely insulted. "Wait, she did? And you knew about it? How did you know but I didn't?"

Franziska pats her friend's shoulder awkwardly. "My mom works with the department that arranged the whole thing. I didn't know until the end of the summer anyway, so I promise I wasn't keeping anything from you."

Leona pouts be accepts the answer. "Well I would have found out eventually." She consoles herself with. "My big worry is that an old teacher like that isn't going to let us do anything practical since we're 'too young' or whatever."

Tonks groans. "Oh god, now I'm worried about that! The theory stuff last year was so boring. I couldn't take an entire year of it!"

Franziska had actually found the theory sections rather interesting herself, but she's saved from having to say so by Jemma.

"The theory is important though. Like Aidan said, if you know why it's supposed to work it makes it easier to actually accomplish." She points out with a smile.

Tonks grumbles in agreement, though it's clear her stance on how engaging theoretical magic is hasn't changed a whit.

Eventually the girls have to admit to exhaustion, and they return the beds to their proper places before curling up in their own bunks and passing out.

Unfortunately their decision to stay up as late as they had is not without its consequences.

"I'm exhausted." Kiera groans at breakfast later. "I hope we have History first period so I can nap a bit longer."

"We really shouldn't have stayed up so long past curfew." Franziska agrees, punctuating the thought with a drawn out yawn that she covers as best she can.

"Lessons for the future." Tonks mumbles drowsily, half asleep in the pile of pancakes in front of her.

"Good morning ladies! Here are your schedules." Professor Sprout is as chipper as ever as she hands the exhausted girls their timetables.

Leona groans pitifully as she looks it over. "Charms first thing today. I'm going to blow something up, guaranteed."

Tonks grins tiredly. "Just pair up with that Jones girl, everyone will assume it was her."

"Or Boot, he messes up a lot too." Tyler chimes in from where he's seated across the table with the other second year boys. "You know, for Ravenclaws they have a lot of mishaps in class."

"Well stereotypes aren't facts." Franziska points out, and both Jemma and Aidan nod in solidarity. "I mean, Hufflepuffs are supposedly duffers, which is really a load of-" She cuts off, blushing at the fact she'd nearly sworn.

"A load of bull." Cian mumbles the end of her sentence.

"Precisely!" Aidan butts in before they can spend time marveling at Cian willingly participating in a conversation. "The Houses are way more than just one thing. I mean, the hat considered putting me in Ravenclaw you know, but I ultimately ended up here. I'm sure there are others who went the other way."

"Slytherins are just no good though. They say there isn't a single witch or wizard who went bad that wasn't in Slytherin. There's something slimy about that house." Tonks points out.

Aidan shrugs. "I mean, ambition is an ugly thing in a lot of cases so it kind of makes sense." He concedes. "Though I'm sure there are exceptions."

"Not in our class." Tonks grumbles. "That Nia girl glares at me all the time - I've never even talked to her! And the rest of them act like we don't exist. As if they're so much better than us."

"Wasn't your mom a Slytherin?" Kiera pipes up, clearly having lost any sense of self-preservation in her sleep-deprived state.

Tonks sticks her tongue out. "I guess she's that exception Aidan was talking about. My aunts are the absolute worst though. I'm forever thankful that I don't have to ever spend time with them."

They move on to lighter topics for the rest of breakfast and then head off to the Charms classroom when the plates vanish from the table.

"Luck's on your side." Henry nudges Leona playfully. "We're still with the Ravenclaws. If you hurry you can sit with Jones."

Franziska just shakes her head in a amusement as Leona and Henry quickly grab seats next to Evie Jones and another Ravenclaw second year who Franziska thinks is called Kingsley, though the girl is always so quiet in class that the Hufflepuff honestly can't remember.

"Hey Frannie, mind if I sit by you?"

Franziska is only too happy to shift over and make room for Fitzwilliam Selwyn. "Hi Fitz! It's been forever, how have you been? Are you going to join the study group again this year?"

Fitzwilliam smiles shyly as he takes the proffered seat. "I've been good, and yeah, I'd definitely like to study together again." He blushes a bit before adding, "I mean with everyone, obviously, I haven't seen anyone over the summer..."

Any further conversation is cut off when Professor Flitwick bounds into the room, as energetic as ever. He hops up onto the stacks of books he has to use to see over his podium and clears his throat.

"Alright everyone, I know you're all excited to see each other again, but remember you are back at school! So if you would please pull out  your textbooks and turn to page nine. It's time to start learning again!"

Ana at first isn't quite sure how she feels about their new schedule. Having three classes each day is of course all well and good, but it means that Fridays are completely open until their twenty-three o'clock astronomy class, which leaves her with the dilemma of what to do with the rest of the day.

However, by the time she's heading for Charms after Monday's breakfast with the sixth years she's decided that having an entire extra day apart from the weekends to focus on studying is actually going to be quite useful indeed. And there's still ample time the rest of the week to get reading done in between classes.

Charms goes about as well as she'd expected it too, going off the multitude of incidents that had occurred the year before. The Hufflepuffs had decided to intermingle a bit more at least, so Ana manages to partner up with Shaun Roberts instead of being grabbed by Evie as she normally, unfortunately, is.

They spend the forty-five minute period reviewing the material from the year before, and Ana is rather put out at how little some of her classmates remember. She hopes they won't cause the entire class to be held back - she remembers everything perfectly and really doens't want to spend more than one class on review. Thankfully, Professor Flitwick says they'll be doing something new on Wednesday so her worries are assuaged.

After the hour break, during which she reviews the first few chapters of the new potions book, she heads down to the dungeons with the rest of the class. She can't say she's looking forward to potions, but some of the brews they'll be learning this year do pique her interest and she's hoping that maybe Professor Snape will be less intense now that they're no longer his youngest students.

Of course, this flimsy hope melts along with the bottom of Evie Jones' cauldron, though Ana is proud to say that at the very least she and Amelia had managed to complete the assignment with no incident.

Lunch is spent excitedly poring over her Transfiguration textbook. Not only is it easily her favorite class, Professor McGonagall is easily her favorite teacher, and she wants the first class back to be as flawless as possible.

She sits with Alasdair, of course, right at the front of the room, wand lying ready on the desk in front of her and book flipped open to what she's certain will be their first lesson.

Professor McGonagall is exactly on time, of course, and begins the lesson with her usual sharpness that Ana adores. However, as the forty five minutes begin to wane, so to does McGonagall. It's little things, things Ana is certain no one else is noticing, but there's an exhaustion in the way the Professor is carrying herself that had never been present the year before, no matter how aggravating the class had gotten (and with Evie as a classmate the aggravation levels were, more often than not, exponential).

Ana wants to stay after class to ask if the Professor is alright, but she doesn't think it's her business really, and it's clear McGonagall had been intending to hide the fact she was feeling a bit off. And so Ana instead goes to the library and studies alone until it's time for dinner.

After a fitful night's sleep - she kept getting up to reread sections of her Herbology textbook, not wanting to be caught flat-footed in their first double block - the day starts with Defense class and the mysterious new teacher.

He introduces himself as Professor McCormack. He's got to be at least eighty by Ana's observations and she's not encouraged by his slow, stumbling pacing around the room or his shaky voice.

He spends most of the period rambling about personal anecdotes from the war, which while somewhat interesting really don't have much to do with the subject as far as Ana can tell. When he finally pulls out his wand there are only ten minutes left in the class, a fact that he seems quite surprised by. Ultimately he just lets them leave early.

The Gryffindors seem just as put out by the new teacher as she is from the sounds of some of their grumbling, though Ana herself ultimately decides she'll hold out judgement until the next class. Perhaps Professor McCormack was just nervous about his first interaction with them.

The rest of the day is rather standard by compare. She uses the free period before History of Magic to review the defensive spells they'd learned with Professor Whitts the year before, and does her best to stay alert and take diligent notes once she does head to Professor Binns' classroom. As usual, she's one of the few who doesn't nod off before the bell signals lunch.

There hadn't been any review in History, which really she's thankful for, but it does mean she spends most of her lunch period going back over her notes from the previous year, just to be sure she still recalls it all correctly. She gets some friendly teasing from the sixth years for her troubles but she mostly ignores them.

After lunch it's time to trudge out onto the grounds to the greenhouse and Ana's least favorite subject. She of course completely understands the importance of Herbology, but she just doesn't seem to have a knack for the class. As such she's rather glad that they share the period with the Hufflepuffs, who for some reason seem to do better in the class than the rest of the houses. Ana puts it up to having the professor as their Head of House.

She pairs up with a petite blonde girl who introduces herself as Jemma, and the two work quietly for most of the period. It's more review work, but this time Ana is quite thankful for the refresher, and for the fact they have an hour and a half with which to work their way through the assignment.

Jemma proves herself surprisingly tolerable considering how loud the Hufflepuffs tend to get. The blonde seems to recognize that Ana doesn't much feel like talking and only makes a comment if it has something to do with the class.

All in all things go well enough the first two days, but Ana knows the real challenge will be the rest of the week, when they actually get started on new material.

She's proven correct the next morning, when they're back in the Charms classroom and Evie manages to set her desk on fire halfway through an attempt at the new spell they're learning. How she managed such a thing when attempting a spell that's supposed to stop other spells Ana doesn't know, and she honestly doesn't care. She's just glad she's sitting well away from her destructive classmate, unlike the unfortunate Hufflepuff that had been sharing Evie's desk.

Naturally Ana has nearly perfected the incantation by the end of the period, earning ten points for Ravenclaw and giving her a confidence boost going into Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall seems better than she had on Monday, though Ana isn't quite sure what to believe. She'd remarked on the Professor's exhaustion to Alasdair after History of Magic the day before but he claimed he hadn't noticed anything. Ana has to wonder if the entire thing was just her imagination.

It still feels off, though perhaps she's just a bit down that she once again is leaving the classroom without getting points for her House, despite being confident she'd done quite well with the incantation they'd been working on.

She mulls over it during lunch, but all thoughts of Transfiguration are chased away when she enters the Defense classroom for their second lesson with the new teacher.

Professor McCormack is as rickety and shaky as she remembers, and his voice as reedy and distant. But Ana does have to admit it's clear he's quite passionate about the subject.

"Good afternoon everyone, welcome back, welcome back." He smiles, eyes closing entirely to make room for his sagging cheeks to rise. "Today we start on the most important spell. Truly, truly it saved my life many many times during the wars so pay very good attention, yes?"

After another five minutes of lead up, Professor McCormack finally begins actually explaining the disarming charm. For the first time ever Ana isn't able to cast the spell before the end of class, but she puts that up to the fact the professor kept going off on tangents instead of just explaining the spell.

All in all she isn't optimistic about Defense Against the Dark Arts being a very engaging subject this year.

Evie has a completely different opinion however, and of course she decides that Ana absolutely must want to hear it as she follows her roommate to the library chattering loudly.

"I mean, Professor Whitts was fine but Professor McCormack actually tells you why you should care! He's done so much cool stuff, living through two wars and everything, we're gonna learn so much this year!"

"We didn't even finish the intended curriculum for today." Ana points out, hoping that Evie will magically get the hint presented in the dismissive tone Ana chose to employ and leave her alone.

Of course Evie is never so easy to shake as that.

"But I learned way more than I did with Prof Whitts last year! No one talks about the war, like, ever. It's way cooler than boring old school stuff!"

"People died in the war Evie. Maybe the ones who lost loved ones just don't want to talk about it yet. It was less than a decade ago you know." Amelia interrupts, her soft voice almost harsh. She pushes past her roommates with a bit of a huff and continues down the corridor, leaving both Ana and Evie stunned for a moment.

"She isn't wrong." Ana says once she's recovered. "Death and loss are sensitive subjects. You ought to treat them with more respect."

Evie glares. "I know that! I wasn't talking bout death and loss!"

"No, but you were talking about a war, which entails both. Maybe start using your brain Evie, you supposedly have one or you certainly wouldn't be in Ravenclaw."

The atmosphere in the dorm that night is awkward at best and downright hostile at worst, though honestly Ana doesn't care as long as it means it's quiet and she can actually go to sleep at a normal time.

Naturally it's the one time she actually goes to bed at  reasonable hour that she can afford to sleep in the next day. Their double potions period doesn't start until ten, but she gets up at seven anyway because she's not tired enough to return to bed.

And regardless, she does rather enjoy breakfast with the sixth years. They spend most of the time talking about spells and concepts she doesn't understand yet, but Eric and Hannah do their best to explain things to her when they aren't engaged in intense discussions with their yearmates over whether or not the Quidditch betting pool should be opened to the second years. Ana is of the opinion that none of her yearmates are smart enough to be trusted to make informed bets, but that only encourages some of the sixth years.

The hour she has between breakfast and Potions is spent in her favorite corner of the library, skimming through her potions textbook and triple checking that she has every possible ingredient she might need in her bag.

Of course no amount of preparation can cover for every possible situation that could present itself in a Potions class that involves her classmates, not to mention the second year Gryffindors. So naturally barely twenty minutes have passed in the hour and half period when things go completely sideways.

Someone had thought it was a perfectly good idea to let Evie and the Gryffindor version of her - Remi Longbottom - partner up for the assignment. The resulting explosion proves exactly how poor a decision it had actually been.

Ana wouldn't have minded so much if part of the explosion hadn't ended up in her and Shaun's cauldron, ruining their hard work as well.

"Ms. Jones, Mr. Longbottom. Twenty points from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor." Professor Snape drawls, eyes narrowed dangerously at the sheepish pair. "This mess better be cleaned up in the next ten minutes or it will be detention for both of you."

Both students pull out their wands but Snape is very quick to inform them there will be no spell work in his classroom, much to the relief of the other students. Any attempted cleaning spells would likely just cause even more explosions.

Unsurprisingly both students end up with detentions, and Ana is rather glad that she'll have her evening Evie-free to study in peace.

Herbology and History of Magic pass quickly and easily after that - Ana does stumble a bit in the former but overall class goes well - and Ana is happy to retire back to the dorms to start on the essay Snape had assigned that is due the next week.

The evening passes quickly as she buries herself in her work - something she'd quite missed if she's being honest - and she's eventually told to go to bed by Eric almost an hour after curfew.

She sleeps in the next day. It's not by any stretch intentional, but after staying up late and with none of her roommates stirring either it's all too easy to let the warm sunlight filtering in from the windows keep her drifting in the thin space between the waking and dreaming worlds.

She grabs a late breakfast just after nine and then sets up in the library, intent on not moving until it's time to go to Astronomy that night. Of course, she does have to relent and go to dinner upon a very loud protest from her stomach, but she returns to her position as soon as she can.

Madame Pince lets her stay past curfew, along with a few other diligent students that Ana has seen before but not spoken to. The librarian shoots her a knowing smile, and Ana is glad that she's been deemed hard working enough to have earned after-hour library privileges. It's a well-kept secret that the librarian will get students special permissions to be out after hours if they're studying, one that can only be learned if you're as diligent as Ana is.

As midnight approachs, Ana bids goodnight to the librarian and begins making her way to the Astronomy Tower. While she doesn't love the class in quite the same way she enjoys Transfiguration or Charms, it's still one of her best subjects.

Professor Sinestra is as animated as ever and they spend the hour locating certain stars and planets that they'd found the previous year, with the Professor discussing each at length, providing information they hadn't had the year before, such as what the locations of the stars and planets in relation to one another indicates. Ana finds it absolutely fascinating, and she's still thinking about it when they return to the dorms just after midnight.

She falls asleep trying to decipher the stars on the ceiling above her.

The first week of classes passes almost too quickly for Myr's tastes.

It's not that he isn't looking forward to the Quidditch tryouts on Monday, it's just that thinking about them makes his stomach tie itself up in knots and his throat choke around a very large ball of nothing is all.

It doesn't help that the tryouts are just about all anyone is talking about. For the first time since he's met her he's thankful for Holly Kiddell's ability to spend hours talking about wands - he sets her off on purpose multiple times over the week just so he can hear about something that doesn't involve quaffles or broomstick makes and models.

Of course, with every single one of his roommates planning to try out there's only so much he can do to get away from Quidditch talk in the dorms.

The worst part is listening to Charlie and Remi arguing over who's going to be the Seeker. Myr spots Drake and Brandon exchanging eye rolls on multiple occasions when the topic comes up, and he knows it's because neither of the two is going to replace the current Gryffindor Seeker, seventh year Patrick Poole.

"Honestly, they ought to know you're probably the only one with a chance of anything that isn't reserves." Brandon remarks to him Sunday morning as they follow the arguing pair down towards breakfast. "Every spot other than the second beater is filled from last year, and it was a really good team. The chances of anyone being replaced is pretty low."

Myr just shakes his head. "Second years in general don't often make the team anyway. The spot will probably go to one of the older years. I'm just hoping to make reserves this time around. Maybe I'll get on the field in fourth year after Laurel graduates."

Brandon shoots him an inquisitive glance. "Fourth year? Nah, you'll get on next year at the latest. You and Charlie are the best flyers in the year, everyone knows that." He pauses, and then grins. "Well, everyone but Remi, and Evera probably wouldn't be caught dead admitting it, but you know what I mean."

Myr gives him a smile in thanks. Brandon may be a troublemaker and often too blunt for his own good, but it does mean when he says things you know he honestly means them.

"Hey, Myr, Brandon, are you two in?" Charlie is suddenly in their faces, and Myr realizes he's completely missed the conversation the rest of their roommates had been having.

"Sorry mate, we weren't paying attention." Brandon grins, his American accent even more noticeable when applied to the typically British word.

Charlie rolls his eyes but he's grinning. "We're going to do a pickup game to practice this afternoon. We're inviting the girls too, so we'll have exactly enough for a team."

"I'm going to ask Jemma if any of the Hufflepuffs would want to play the opposing team." Drake adds in, and Myr starts. He hadn't realized Drake was even with them, which considering how loud Drake always is was something of a feat. "I mean, I don't think any of them are that good but it's hard to play with only one team on the field."

Myr frowns. "Why don't we ask some of the older Gryffindors? I'm sure they'd be interested as well." He points out.

Drake shrugs. "We only know Bill." He points out. "And he's studying today according to Charlie."

Brandon snorts. "Yeah right, 'studying'."

Myr ignores the American. "What about Kent? Evera could ask him, and I bet he knows some people who would play with us."

Charlie nods. "Oh yeah, that could work. I keep forgetting that he and Evera are siblings, they don't really hang out all that much."

"Mainly because he's boring. What're you lot talking about?" Evera's sudden appearance in front of the group as they reach the Great Hall causes nearly all the boys to startle. Evera laughs in delight.

Charlie recovers fastest. "We're going to have a pickup Quidditch game today to get ready for tryouts tomorrow! Do you think Kent could help us assemble an opposing team?"

Evera is only too happy to volunteer her brother's services, as well as her own, for the game, and with help from various people they manage to scrape together two teams.

There is naturally a rather extensive fight between Charlie and Remi over who should be the Seeker for the Gryffindor second years' team, and eventually Remi joins the other team as their Seeker, resulting in Kent Sylvester joining their team instead.

Fiona McKay, the one second year who doesn't have a preference for position, ends up playing opposite Myr as their team's second beater. Their opposition is an odd conglomeration of older Gryffindors, second year Hufflepuffs, and of course Remi.

The game goes for nearly three hours, and Leona Poole from Hufflepuff is happy to shout the scores from the stands, her voice carrying even without any charms to amplify it.

"Great save from Sylvester there! And he hands it off to his sister - she's got a clear shot across the field - ah, here comes Abbott with the save - Tyler I said save it! Letting her get past you isn't saving it!"

Myr can't help laughing as Tyler makes a face at his House mate. A moment later his attention snaps back to the game and he takes off across the field to parry a bludger that had been fired at Evera courtesy of a Gryffindor fifth year whose name Myr can't remember.

"Thanks!" Evera calls as she fires on the opposing goal posts. Jemma Finnegan, who had ended up playing Keeper due to no one else wanting the role, attempts a save but as usual misses rather spectacularly. She smiles easily and shrugs at her teammates.

"That puts the score at three hundred and ten for the Gryffindor second years! Still no sign of the snitch, but at this point it's pretty clear whose going to win." Leona declares cheekily.

Charlie grins over at Remi where they're circling above the field. "It's too bad you don't have a chance at catching the snitch, you might have at least saved your team the embarrassment of being completely crushed." He calls to the brunet, who swears back.

"Tension rising between the Seekers as Abbott flies the Quaffle back across the field." Leona reports, clearly enjoying the increased animosity between the two Gryffindors.

Myr stays focused on the game, swooping to fire off a bludger to redirect Tyler towards Brandon, who attempts to grab the Quaffle away from the Hufflepuff. Tyler neatly dodges out of the way - only to run immediately into a bludger courtesy of Fiona.

"Sorry!" The red head calls, looking half apologetic and half pleased that her maneuver had been successful.

To Myr's surprise Tyler manages to hang onto the Quaffle, using the momentum from the encountered bludger to propel him to an area where he's clear to pass to Aidan Ward, who immediately makes a shot on the hoops.

Remi shoots Charlie a look of superiority.

The game has gathered a small crowd of onlookers, and Myr recognizes a few of the Ravenclaw second years from his study group, as well as Holly and her sister Laurel. He's also pretty sure the Hufflepuff Quidditch captain is seated beside Leona, but he doesn't know the older boy well enough to be certain.

The game goes for another hour and a half, and Myr is sweaty and barely hanging on to his broom when Charlie finally manages to snag the Snitch, much to his excitement and Remi's irritation.

The two teams circle back down to the field and shake hands cordially.

"Great show out there." Laurel Kiddell grins as she and her sister clamber out of the stands to join the group on the field. "Ignoring the obvious imbalance in Keeper ability you guys really did hold your own pretty well. I'd say the Gryffindor Quidditch team has a bright few years ahead of it."

"Especially with you at the helm!" Holly adds with a proud smile.

Laurel ruffles her sister's hair affectionately. "Well, I'll look forward to seeing all of you at tryouts tomorrow." As she speaks a Ravenclaw who Myr vaguely recognizes as a prefect comes over to join them, and Laurel smiles.

"Well, I'm off. You all keep out of trouble until at least Tuesday alright? Too many incidents can make you ineligible for the team." She nods to them and then hurries to greet the Ravenclaw with a quick kiss to the cheek before they head back into the castle together.

Holly makes a face. "Ew. If I ever get all gooey like that someone smack me please."

"I think it's sweet." Jemma pipes up. The Hufflepuffs and a few of the older Gryffindors had drifted over to join their congregation.

"Well she's not your sister." Holly declares in a tone that very much suggests she'd like the topic to be changed.

So they start talking about Quidditch again. Several people comment on Tyler's excellent playing and one of the Gryffindors playing Beater for the other team compliments Myr's skills as well.

"Thanks. I'm still learning though, you were better than I was."  Myr replies to the praise modestly.

The older boy just shakes his head. "Well I am a year older, so I've had more time to practice. You're a natural, I can tell." He holds out his hand a moment later. "I'm Emery Grant by the way."

"Myrddin Cadwallader. But most people just call me Myr." He returns the handshake firmly. "Are you going to be trying out this year then?"

Emery nods. "I'm thinking about it, though I'm not sure I like Quidditch enough to get up at five in the morning for it." He admits.

"Laurel only does that during game weeks." Holly notes, casually sliding over to the two of them "Hi, I'm Holly Kiddell, Laurel's sister. I think we met briefly last year?"

Emery blinks, momentarily blindsided by Holly's abrupt appearance, before he nods slowly. "I think you're right. We talked about Herbology at the Halloween feast, right?"

Holly beams a confirmation and Myr decides to leave them to it as they begin talking about Mandrakes in earnest.

Charlie and Remi are bickering again, with Brandon, Evera, and Drake all unhelpfully egging them on, so Myr finds himself turning to Jemma and Fiona, the only two remaining on the field who are otherwise unoccupied.

"That was fun! I see why you decided to try for a Beater position." Fiona greets him with a bright smile. "Though I think I'll probably stick with Chaser at tryouts tomorrow, since that's what I practiced mostly over the summer." She tilts her head. "Or maybe Keeper. I think I could be a pretty good Keeper if I practiced."

"Keeper is hard." Jemma laughs. "But if you have the fortitude for it I could see it being fun."

"Not your cup of tea though I assume?" Myr can't help but add, and Jemma laughs.

"Not quite my cuppa, no." She confirms. "I'm always happy to help Drake and Evera out of course, but I'm not big on Quidditch, or really flying in general." She shrugs lightly, still smiling. "I'm happy to cheer from the stands though."

The group eventually trickles off, and the second year Gryffindors relocate to the boys' dorm room where the Quidditch talk persists until it's time for dinner.

Myr opts to retire a bit earlier than normal that night, knowing he needs to be well-rested in order to give his best the next day, and he's incredibly thankful for his foresight when tryouts roll around just after dinner and Laurel kicks things off by having them do sprints around the Quidditch pitch.

Once they finish the torture that Laurel refers to as 'warm-ups' the tryouts begin in earnest.

Myr sits beside Charlie while Drake, Evera, and Brandon all run several maneuvers with the other students trying out for Chaser. Fiona meanwhile is in the goals, having decided to give the Keeper position a try.

"What do you think she'll have us do?" Myr wonders aloud as Evera makes a rather dangerous dive to catch a Quaffle that Fiona had blocked. "I mean, will she just let out a snitch and see who catches it first? And how can you audition Beaters?"

"Maybe she'll have you fire bludgers at Remi." Charlie remarks cheekily. "Whoever makes the most contact gets the open spot."

Myr pushes down an urge to laugh. "Charlie that's awful. I know you guys don't get along-"

"He almost killed your cat that one time Myr, you don't get along with him either." Charlie interrupts, unrepentant. "Anyway, it's just a joke."

Myr doesn't get a chance to respond as Laurel dismisses the Chasers and Keepers with a quick 'thank you' that gives away nothing and calls the Beaters up.

Myr can feel the tension rising as the five Beater hopefuls line up on the pitch. Every one of them knows that there's only one spot open, given that Laurel is the other Gryffindor Beater, and that the previous Beater had graduated the year before. One of them is absolutely getting on the team.

Laurel takes to the air with them, Beater bats in hand. "Alright recruits, you've got the tough job of showing you can work with me as a team. Grant, you're up first." She tosses one of the bats to Emery Grant, and Myr gives him a quick thumbs up before Laurel summons the bludgers from where she'd tied them down on the pitch below.

"Think fast!" She fires the bludger straight at Emery's head, and he quickly deflects it.

Laurel dives and fires it off across the field, and Emery takes off to intercept it. After a few minutes, Laurel indicates for Emery to pass the bat off to the next participant.

Myr ends up the last person to get the bat, naturally, and he ends up having to fling himself across the entire pitch to reach the first bludger sent out. His first hit is thus less than impressive, but he thinks the rest of the tryout goes rather well despite the weak start.

He hangs around to watch Charlie and Remi's Seeker tryouts. They're the only two who even attempt for the position, and Myr wonders whether the Seeker position might not be as highly sought after as he'd initially come to believe from all the fuss his roommates made about it.

That night the tryouts are naturally all they're talking about.

"I think Patrick should be worried." Remi declares proudly. "I was on fire out there."

"There's no way I'll get less that reserves." Evera declares confidently.

Myr keeps quiet as his year mates continue singing their own praises.

Brandon is the first to break the self-congratulatory chain. "I though you did really well in goal Fiona. Since all the others trying out were at least fifth years I bet you'll be on the team in the next couple of years as they all graduate."

Fiona looks surprised for a moment, and then grins. "You think so? I mean, there might be a better Keeper among the first years that we don't know about."

"Seniority usually wins out when there's a close call." Charlie notes. "So you'll get a few years for sure."

"Well you'll all know next week." Holly announces loudly from the hallway leading to the girl's rooms. "Now would you all go to sleep before you lose us house points for still being in the common room at twenty three hundred!" Laurel's sister looks distinctly sleepy, and the group grudgingly removes themselves from the couches, Laurel's warning the day before about not causing trouble prompting them to make their way up to their dorm rooms.

Myr knows he's going to have a hard time falling asleep tonight. One week seems a long ways away.

Whoever had thought putting the Slytherin Quidditch tryouts on a Tuesday evening is officially on Rajani's list.

Of course Rajani knows full well that Gryffindor had the field reserved the evening before, but having tryouts and then having Astronomy later the same night is a bit of a nightmare scenario for the second years subjected to it.

There are only three of them there though, so really it does make sense that they're the ones inconvenienced over any of the older years, who each have plenty more people trying out.

The three second years opt to sit together on the benches. Rajani is in the middle, with Eugene to her left and Alasdair to her right. She'd been surprised when the quiet Asian boy came with them to the pitch after dinner, but then she'd remembered how enthusiastic he'd been during the games the year before and it made a bit more sense.

"So what position are you going for Alasdair?" Rajani prompts once they've all gotten comfortable.

"Chaser."

It's about how she'd expected him to answer - Alasdair has always been one of the quietest people in their year, so Rajani pushes on.

"Hey, same here! Eugene is trying out for Beater, right?" She's still not sure what her friend finds so interesting about smacking aggressive balls of metal with a wooden bat but she's glad that it means they aren't in direct competition.

Eugene nods cheerfully. "Yep! Beaters have the most fun - they're still part of the action without any of the pressure to score."

"Seekers kind of have that?" Rajani notes, though admittedly she isn't completely sure since she rarely pays attention to the Seekers unless they're racing for the snitch.

Both Eugene and Alasdair shake their heads, and Eugene, looking pleasantly surprised, gestures for Alasdair to explain.

The quiet boy shrugs. "Seekers aren't really part of the action. They just hover over the pitch until they see the snitch, and then they get to actually do something. And if it's caught the first time it's spotted, well," He shrugs again. "I just think it would be pretty boring to be Seeker. In professional matches they are often completely redundant too, since points get way higher than they ever do here. All the Seeker does for the most part is determine when a game ends."

Rajani rolls the information around in her head, nodding slowly. "Makes sense." She acknowledges after a moment.

They don't get any more time to talk as Mayra strides onto the field.

"Alright everyone, we have three spots officially open, but if you impress me I'm flexible. We'll start with the Chasers." Her eyes land on Rajani and her strict facade cracks just long enough to offer a faint smile before Captain Byrnes is back.

Rajani and Alasdair both grab their brooms and take to the sky after Mayra, along with about seven other students. They do a few simple drills, pass the ball around, and finally Mayra calls up the Keepers and they make shots on the goal for about thirty minutes before Mayra lets them leave.

Alasdair heads straight back to the dorms, but Rajani decides to stay and watch Eugene's tryout.

She's surprised when Mayra sits down next to her a moment later.

"Shouldn't you be watching the beaters?" She asks in confusion. Mayra laughs.

"I trust Gwenog will tell me her opinion. She's far better equipped to properly evaluate beaters anyhow." Her grin becomes somewhat feral as she adds, "And she'll put the fear of Salazar into the newbies. If they can't handle her, they aren't ready for the team."

Rajani of course knows about Gwenog Jones, one of the most ruthless beaters in Hogwarts history. The Welsh girl is scary even by Slytherin standards, and Rajani knows Slytherins don't scare easy.

She winces. "That seems a bit harsh."

Mayra just laughs again. "If you make the team this year you'll have to work with her you know. You saying you couldn't?"

Rajani shakes her head. "Of course I could. I'm just saying that forcing the guys to acknowledge that they'll never be half the man Gwenog is this early in the season seems a little mean."

Mayra gapes at her for a long moment before laughing so hard she nearly chokes herself.

"You alright captain?" Jones calls from above them, looking down with clear annoyance. "I'm trying to conduct tryouts here but you apparently dying is causing some distraction for these kids."

Mayra waves her off. "Rajani here was just observing your powers of emasculation." She replies, and Gwenog smirks.

"They are rather impressive. Alright ya poofs, let's try this again, with less being terrible this time."

Once she moves on from Gwenog's coarse language, Rajani finds herself absolutely enraptured watching the woman flying. She was taller than most of the guys she was auditioning, and far more muscular as well.

"She's like a big cat." Rajani decides aloud. "Or something equally graceful."

Mayra nods. "Too bad about her personality though." She grins shamelessly and they watch the rest of the tryouts in companionable silence.

Eugene is utterly beat when he and Rajani finally pack up their brooms and head straight for the Astronomy Tower.

"So how was Ms. Jones?" Rajani can't resist teasing the blond boy, and he only groans in response, making her laugh.

"She obviously knows what she's doing though. Rumor says the Holyhead Harpies are already courting her to join their team next year."

Eugene grunts as they begin the ascent to the top of the Tower. "I'd believe it. She's ruthless, but definitely good. I'm not very optimistic about my chances."

Rajani pats his shoulder lightly. "I'm sure you did better than you think." She encourages.

Eugene merely shrugs in response and they lapse into silence as they trudge up the stairs, focused more on breathing as they continue to climb.

They naturally are the first ones to arrive for the class, and they settle themselves on the floor and pull out their star charts.

Professor Sinestra arrives shortly afterwards, and she greets them far too cheerfully for the hour.

"I saw you down on the pitch this evening." She comments once she's arranged the telescopes around the tower's edge. "It looks like Slytherin's team is going to be quite a force this year!"

The two weary second years merely smile in response, and the rest of their classmates arrive soon after, sparing them from the professor attempting any further awkward conversation.

"How did tryouts go?" Queenie whispers once they've started scanning the skies for the week's star formations. "Do you think you made the team?"

Eugene shakes his head while Rajani merely shrugs.

"There were a lot of people there, and all of them were older." She responds quietly, glancing over her shoulder to make sure the professor isn't looking at them. It wouldn't be good to get caught gossiping when they're supposed to be working.

Queenie shrugs in return. "Well there's always next year. Or reserves is possible, there are three chaser positions after all."

"A lot of players act as reserves for each other though, like how Byrnes is the reserve Seeker in case Blackthorn ever can't make a game." Alasdair points out from Rajani's other side.

Rajani raises an eyebrow. "I didn't know that. It makes sense though, I suppose. Minimizing the reserve team allows practice time to be better utilized for efficiency."

Alasdair nods. "Exactly." He appears to consider saying more but ultimately he just shrugs and returns to plotting out his star chart.

"I hope you do make the team Raj. You'd be an excellent captain." Queenie decides, a note of finality in her voice that has Rajani smiling faintly.

They head back down at midnight, passing a group of excited Hufflepuff first years as they go.

"Man, I remember being like that." Nia sighs, and Clary laughs.

"Of course you do, it was only a year ago." She teases, and the two banter playfully back and forth all the way back to the dungeons.

The next day the Slytherins have time to sleep in until their Transfiguration class at eleven, a luxury that Rajani takes full advantage of. When she does finally deign to get out of bed and face the day around ten o'clock she discovers she's terribly sore and still rather sleepy despite the extra rest time.

"You look awful." Nia declares as Rajani ascends the stairs to join the other second years where most of them are occupying the couches in the common room.

"So still better than you?" Clary pipes up cheerfully, earning herself a stuffed sheep to the head.

Rajani just shakes her head and perches on the arm of the couch next to Lenox. "Where's Els? I didn't see her in the dorm when I woke up."

Elspeth Selwyn, while rarely an active part of their conversations, is usually hovering somewhere in the shadows whenever they hang out, especially since Winter Break the previous year. It was almost disconcerting to realize she wasn't nearby.

Nia shrugs. "She was with us at breakfast, but I haven't seen her since. Maybe the library? We do have that potions essay due." She makes a face. "I should probably start that."

Finn frowns over at the girl. "You haven't started yet? Honestly Nia."

She sticks her tongue out. "Well unlike you I actually have a social life so meh. I don't recall you spending any time with us yet this year." She retorts.

Finn just shrugs, unaffected. "I've had better things to do so far." He replies easily, and Clary is only too happy to provide a dramatic gasp. She gets the sheep thrown at her head again.

"I'll help you with the essay during lunch." Queenie says decisively. "Now quit your bickering, we need to get to class."

She shoos the group of them out the front, and then falls into step next to Rajani.

"You really do look like you might be  ill." She comments, not unkindly. "Maybe get to sleep a bit earlier tonight, I think it would do you a world of good."

Rajani smiles wearily at her. "I probably was going to do that anyway, I'm still dead tired from last night."

"Understandable, Eugene isn't feeling in top form either." Queenie notes sympathetically. "Here, you can pair up with me in Transfiguration - I'll cast a copy spell so you don't miss any notes."

Rajani smiles thankfully. As much as she does like Transfiguration, and as much as she'd normally not want to steal someone else's work, at the moment she's not sure she'll be able to focus enough to process any information, nonetheless write it down while simultaneously listening to the professor.

"What about Eugene?"

Queenie waves dismissively. "He'll be fine. I'll study with him later."

Rajani hesitates, and then lowers her voice slightly. "Is the whole arranged marriage - thing - confirmed?" She doesn't really like the phrasing but the entire situation still makes her a bit uncomfortable.

Queenie grins. "Not complete but my parents are pretty optimistic. Eugene is cool with it too so we're probably just waiting until we're fifteen and of 'appropriate age'." She rolls her eyes slightly. "Honestly the Blacks arranged all their most recent marriages by age ten."

"Didn't the oldest one run off with a Mudblood?" Rajani points out. "That doesn't seem to exactly be a ringing endorsement."

Queenie shrugs easily. "There's always an exception." She grins. "Don't worry about little old me Raj, I'll be fine. You on the other hand still don't know who sent you that pin in February, do you? You might have a stalker or something equally creepy."

Rajani can only laugh. "I can't believe you remember that. And it's probably just from one of the guys and they're too embarrassed to say anything."

"Not from Eugene." Queenie says immediately. "He would have told me." She grins wickedly. "Maybe it was Cadfael." She teases.

Rajani can't help laughing. "Oh I'm sure. His standoffishness and general rudeness come from a place of deep, unwavering affection."

"You never know." Queenie grins. They arrive at the Transfiguration classroom just then, and Rajani is happy to sit down again, placing her head on the table.

Queenie looks a tad put out at being at the back of the classroom, but she obligingly sits beside Rajani and hurriedly places the copy spell on her friend's quill before McGonagall arrives.

"You owe me now you know." Queenie lightly elbows Rajani in the ribs.

"I know, I'll make good." Rajani promises into the desk.

"Alright class, wands out." Professor McGonagall's voice is sharp, and Rajani reluctantly raises her head from the desk.

"I suppose I don't owe you after all." She mumbles to Queenie.

They spend the lesson attempting to turn beetles into buttons. Or at least, that's what they're supposed to be doing. In reality most of the class is rather grossed out by the squirming insects and are attempting to complete the spell without actually having to touch the scuttling bugs.

Rajani is definitely in the latter category, and she as well as several of the other girls in the class end up dismissed early when Evie Jones' beetle ends up growing instead of turning into a button and begins skittering around the room.

"That was absolutely disgusting." Queenie moans, having been one of the others to excuse herself from the room to avoid the giant insect. "Honestly that girl is a danger, I'm shocked all she did was enlarge the thing given what I've heard. Makes me glad our other class with the Ravenclaws is History of Magic - at least she can't cause too much commotion there."

Rajani smiles weakly. "True enough." She yawns then, and Queenie laughs a bit.

"Girl you look like you're ready to pass out. Come on, let's get some food in you before you fall over."

The rest of the day is something of a blur for Rajani, though she's pretty sure Potions was, thankfully, uneventful. She heads straight down to the dorms once dinner is over and she's thankful to whoever keeps the other girls in the common room.

She showers quickly and is asleep almost before she reaches her bed.